Finger Lakes trainer Jeremiah Englehart gets Breeder’s Cup win

ARCADIA, Calif. – The Breeders’ Cup got off to a chaotic start on its second day, with a rare disqualification in the opening race and a horse euthanized with a broken leg at Santa Anita.

The $2 million Juvenile Fillies went from strange to tragic over several minutes Saturday. The DQ was announced after a green screen went up in a spot approaching the final turn to shield injured Secret Compass from the crowd.

The DQ made a first-time Breeder’s Cup winner out of Finger Lakes trainer Jeremiah Englehart.

Englehart is the first Finger Lakes conditioner to saddle a Breeders Cup’ victor. He was successful in his second trip to the world championship events. He previously started Tamarind Hall in the $1,000,000 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint in 2011.

Englehart, a 1994 Red Jacket HIgh School graduate, has been training since 2003 and has a total of nine stakes wins including three in graded events.

Ria Antonia, a 32-1 longshot, finished second but was declared the winner of the 1 1/16-mile race after She’s a Tiger was disqualified by the stewards.

They ruled that She’s a Tiger and Gary Stevens drifted out late, bumped Ria Antonia and Javier Castellano, slowing her momentum.

“I had gotten by Gary but when he came in to me, he bumped me off-stride,” Castellano said.

Stevens, who won the $2 million Distaff with Beholder on Friday, said the stewards had a tough call.

“The stewards made their call and I wouldn’t disagree with that,” he said.

It was the first DQ of a winner since the inaugural 1984 Juvenile Fillies race in which Fran’s Valentine won and later was placed 10th.

“This is heartbreaking,” said Jeff Bonde, who trains She’s a Tiger.

Ria Antonia paid $66.60, $29.80 and $17.40. The winning time was 1:43.02 and the margin was a nose.

“If that horse changes course and doesn’t make contact, you say, ‘OK, leave it up,’ ” said Jeremiah Englehart, who trains Ria Antonia. “But once you make contact it has to come down.”